A Viva Slough Column, by Vineet
Many towns have a festive season; Slough has a rolling programme.
The festivities start in early Spring bringing colour, music and rhythm at the Indian festival of Holi, followed by Eid al-Fitr marking the end of Ramadan. In April we chase Easter eggs and the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi bring further occasions for celebration, with Eid al-Adha following in May.
Summer keeps us gathering at outdoor events, carnivals, fairs and community parties. And now autumn is packed with Hindu and Sikh celebrations. October also makes room for reflection and recognition through Black History Month. Before we have caught our breath, it is time for Christmas carols, Nativity plays and the annual search for the box of decorations.
Slough is hardly the only multicultural town in Britain. But we can be a model of something worth celebrating: a place where communities keep their traditions, enjoy them openly and invite others to join in.
You can feel at home while preserving the songs, stories and celebrations that connect you to your roots. Your neighbours can experience a world beyond their own front door without travelling halfway around the globe.
For a taste of that richness, take the Hindu festivals filling the coming months.
Navratri means nine nights, is a celebration that takes various forms across India. In Western Indian it takes the form of a high-energy community dance festivals featuring Garba, a (circular folk dance, and Dandiya Raas a stick dance. East India celebrates Durga Puja. Elaborate artistic handcrafted idols, accompanied by drumming, dances, and food feasts.
In Norther India it features the reenactments of the epic Ramayana (Ramlila) culminate on Dusshera or Vijayadashami with the burning of massive effigies.
Diwali brings lamps, family gatherings, sweets and the enduring image of light overcoming darkness. For many Hindus, it recalls the return of Ram and Sita to Ayodhya; other traditions place different stories at its heart. That variety is part of its richness.
In Slough, we do it all The Slough Mandir has the most authentic Garba dances for all 9 nights followed by burring of the effigies on the 20th of October. If you are keen to join in the dancing, you will find many others scattered in different venues with a large variety. So go on have go and see for yourself how much fun it could be.
At Viva Slough, we are adding our own contribution with Ramlila, a stage telling of the story of Ram, Sita and demon king Ravan. Working with two Indian organisations, Sai Seva UK and IDUK we have added a modern Slough twist to the story. Performances take place on Friday 6 November and 14th November at The Curve
Expect an ancient story, local humour and the pleasure of watching people from the community create something together. There are two opportunities to see it, and considerably fewer excuses to say afterwards that you meant to come.
Each tradition deserves respect for its own meaning. Nobody needs to surrender their beliefs to appreciate the joy, generosity or history of a neighbour. A full festival calendar does not create a united town by itself. We do that by inviting people in, explaining what is happening, making newcomers comfortable and accepting invitations ourselves.
So, whether you live in Slough or further afield, consider this your invitation. Come and discover the traditions, meet the people keeping them alive and experience the town through its celebrations.
Bring your family, your friends and your curiosity.
And, if you are joining the dancing, bring comfortable shoes
